Sahara “Desert Storm” Dempsey first strapped on a pair of boxing gloves as a 12-year-old after her mum suggested she learn self defence.
It didn’t take long before the now 17-year-old fell in love with the sport and the person she became when she stepped into the ring.
“It’s not like other sports. It doesn’t just make you a fighter,” she said.
“When you hop in the ring … you can’t run, you have to think, you have to react.
“It brings out a person you never knew you had [in you].”
Since she began competing, Sahara has won regional, state, and national titles in her weight class.
“She’s the first ever female Australian champion from Townsville. We’re very, very proud of her,” coach Derek Webber said.
The Townsville teenager now has dreams of stepping onto a podium at the Brisbane Olympics in nine years’ time.
“Representing my country, in my country, it would be a dream like no other,” Sahara said.
“That’s just when I can close my eyes and say ‘yeah, this is where I belong. This is what I was born to do’.”
Channelling the blood of Jack Dempsey
The talented boxer recently discovered her abilities run in the family.
Her great-great grandfather is former US heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey.
“He was Mike Tyson’s role model, the person he looked up to,” she said.
“He was very vicious and he had a brutal fighting style. Some people say I hit as hard as him.”
The teenager has been selected to take part in the Queensland government’s YouFor2032 program, designed to find and nurture Australian athletes for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Athletes with the potential to bring home a medal in nine year’s time are given development support and specialised training in collaboration with the Queensland Academy of Sport.
Coach Webber said Sahara has “come a long way” from a shy 12-year-old.
“When Sahara first started she was an introvert, lacked confidence, and wasn’t the sharpest when it came to boxing. But she was very consistent,” he said.
“This year she got selected to go to the super eights, which is an elite tournament. She’s a youth so that was a massive thing for her. She’s really taken off and challenged herself.
“Sahara is quite switched on and focused. She’s got massive, a massive, massive, massive chance of making the Olympics.”
Talent search for future Olympians
More than 4,799 athletes have trialled to take part in the YouFor2032 program since it launched in April last year.
The program is open to aspiring athletes in Queensland aged 13 to 23 for Olympic sports and between 13 and 30 for Paralympic sports.
“We’ve gone to 25 different regional locations as well as the south-east corner. We’ve tested about 1,000 athletes regionally,” said Troy Ayres, executive director of talent and coaching at the Queensland Academy of Sport.
Mr Ayes said 172 Queensland athletes progressed to phase three of the development program last year.
Sahara said it’s given her the opportunity to test her abilities and take part in competitive sparring against new athletes.
“They really do help you to become a better athlete,” Sahara said.
Webber said the support can make all the difference for athletes in regional areas.
“Being a boxing club in North Queensland we don’t really get much opportunity to compete in our region, we always have to fly down south,” he said.
“Last year alone we spent $24,000, just in flights, to go and compete.
“Unfortunately a lot of kids don’t continue in the sport because of that, because of the travel and the expenses. With YouFor2032 we get help with some of that travel.”
Sahara said she’s confident she’ll be able to achieve her dreams with the support of her family and her coach.
“He’s more than a coach he’s a mentor. He’s like a father to me,” she said of Webber.
“If I have him on my side I know for a fact I’m definitely going to make it to the top.”